Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-29

, can send ner TO the mines Now, mcn-
sieur, turning to me when ali had gone
from the room save the two or three
friends whom he had requested to remain
with him, 1 have to settle this matter
with YOU. Stop he continued, when |
attempted to speak; explanations are
needless and useless, for the reason that
the publicity given this affair by the we
man who has doomed herself to a living
grave is such that no matter how abso-
iutely innocent of wrong or intent 10
wrong You may he you must be punished
the same as if guilty 1t is the decree of
society which gives me. under the circum-
stances. did it please me TO avail myself
of it. the right to kill you; but it does not
please me. though | shall demand from
Won. in another way, the fullest atone
ment.'
On nv honor. conld have laughed.
worried as | was continued Boris, for
of course, atonement as he chose 10 style
it. for the satisfaction OF society, could
mean but one thing-a duel, and duel
with an invalid who could use neither
sword nor pistol was farce and would
render me ridiculous The prince, divin-
INK tiituSHNS, thSh
went on: Do not believe ME mad, mon
sieur or more generous than | really am.
The duel offer will be entirely possible,
as you will see in moment. Bring me
pack Of cards from the salon, Njadincks,'
addressing one of the gentlemen who still
stood quietly beside him. and place me at
the table. Now, NJ de MirskOw, signing
me TO place myself opposite him and with
..I, ynll
play together game of ecarte. the stakes
the life of the loser! II the chances go
against YOU. before l2 O'Clock TO morrow,
as man Of honor, you will blow out your
brains with your own hand; if against me,
| do the same; do you accept
L accept
- SO be il; how many points,
4" Five, exactly and the game com
menced under the eyes OF the Two wit
nesses and the princess, until now an aO
solutely silent and passive spectator, too
proud to utter a word that might be con
strued as an effort TO defend herself, and
too well aware of her husbands Charac
ter not 10 know that she must submit to
whatever consequences were brought
upon her by her own folly and my impru
dence
Alter iii. MlCHti, sdiu DDIlS ssTi-
ously. the temperament of Il professional
coquette is pretty much the same rs a
gamblers, who takes the most blood
curdling risks and stands results with the
stoicism of martyr With two lives
hanging absolutely upon the turn OF bit
OF painted pasteboard, Eliza de B WAS
as emotiOnless as a woman of marble.
The prince was undoubtedly my mas
L.. 81 "a So,
me in the most surprising way Soou We
were four to-
''You needn take the trouble to con
tinue | said 10 Boris. Il can guess the
end of it, As you are here The prince lost "
The prince LOST No, bit of 1.-THE
prince won.
Of contempt, thinking that after all my
friend had been coward and refused, be-
cause he knew his adversary could not
force him to go on the terms of the wager.
Don't jump to conclusions mon ami -
and he smiled maliciously 1T is always
hest to hear the end of story before you
proceed 10 condemn. ] repeat what told
You a moment ago: the Primo. de b,
80 far from losing the game won. and
after battle in which confess I did my
Utst W 'piiN On ibi ut 'ut
cares to give up his life at the best of
times, particularly for the sake OF a CO
Quette who KEEP, an open shrine for all the
vows that could be laid upon il New
ertheless. am here; hold as 1 rose to
my feet and started to leave him. ashamed
Of the interest had shown in what was
evidently but one of his usual Jokes;
read this, which received the next day
LAT - -, -
and just as ! was placing the cartridge in
the pistol which was to blow my brains
out And he held ont TO me something
he had drawn from his pocket. 1t was III
ace Of hearts, across the back OF which
the prince had written the following lines;
Mons Boris DE MIRsKow According
to my theory and belief you are not
cheated. since YOU did not perceive it.
All the same, feel that from this time oD
it will be impossible for me to touch the
cards, for have dishonored them, and to
live without them | cannot In plain
words, monsieur, yesterday, for the first
and last time in my life, cheated We
were four TO nothing; made the king to
disappear. Pardon me, for when this
reaches you the terms of our duel will
have been fulfilled and the prince will
have disappeared
1t was suicide, OF course" added De
Mirskow gravely, suicide brought about
by wretched and crippled existence; Sc
said the people.
The scene in the palace, for the sake OF
all concerned, was scrupuiously guarded
by the gentlemen who had witnessed it,
and the princess did not gossip, you can
rest assured. translated from the
French of Jean Richepin by f. c. Wag-
gener for New York Mercury.